13 hours ago
18 years later, 8 men booked for ‘links with SIMI' acquitted
Over 18 years after eight men were booked for allegedly holding meetings and distributing pamphlets of the banned organisation Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a court in Nagpur cleared them of all charges.
The court said that there is no evidence against them of participation in meetings, communication, propaganda or any financial support.
The men, most of them Nagpur residents, who were in their 30s in 2006 when they were booked under charges, including anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, were acquitted on August 13 by the judicial magistrate in Nagpur.
'There is no evidence of any acts or participation in meetings, communication, propaganda, or support financially or others on the part of the accused. Mere possession of literature or documents allegedly connected to unlawful association without proof of active intent or participation, does not meet the threshold laid down in the law,' judicial magistrate A K Bankar said in her order, made available on Friday.
The police had claimed that they had received confidential information about the involvement of the men with SIMI.
During the trial, however, the police could not bring any record to prove that the confidential information was received and recorded for further probe.
The police had also claimed that incriminating material was found at their residence but no recovery was proved before the court.
Apart from policemen, the other witnesses, including independent witnesses who the police had claimed knew about the activities of the accused, did not support the police's case.
The men had submitted that there was no evidence against them, there were no independent witnesses to prove the police allegations.
'If the entire prosecution witnesses' testimonies are perused, none of the witness has made a whisper about such allegations/facts constituting the above said offence,' the court said.
It added that even the allegations that one of the accused was harboured from arrest by the others was not proven.
Shakil Warsi, Shakir Ahmed Nasir Ahmed, Mohammad Rehan Atullakhan, Jiyaur Rahman Maheboob Khan, Wakar Baig Yusuf Baig, Imtiyaj Ahmed Nisar Ahmed, Mohammad Abrar Arif Mohammad Kashim and Sheikh Ahmad Sheikh were acquitted of charges of section 10 and 13 of UAPA.
They were out on bail pending trial.
